Time is a wheel divided into Ages that is constantly spinning. When an age ends it rolls into the next. To some it is the Fifth Age of Mankinds defeat of their most ancient foes. None know what happened in those earlier ages that caused the Gods to leave and all of existence to reform and none now know why they have chosen to return at the end of this age to begin another. The Mayans saw a changing of an Age, but they did not know its fullest details. They saw a choice whether to raise up and be as Gods themselves or fall and live in darkness. Neither does any mortal or immortal alike know what brought the Gods back but everyone can feel their presence. It began with the surfacing of more powerful dragon lines across the world and forming into more powerful Dragon nests and detectable forms of an unknown energy. It was on the largest source in the United States. The most clean form of energy ever detected and more powerful than wind and solar energy combine. It took years of experimentation but the first of the reactors was built to harness this geo-energy source. They found that continued to exposure to this energy could enhance a person's capabilities further refinement was needed but the seeds of the super soldier program were there. As it became closer to the time of the Awakening these Soldiers and those who maintained the blood of the Dragons in the East were chosen. Ten Thousand in total were taken to the Celestial City. There they would be given elemental power that would form the bulk of a fighting force. Time at that point in the Celestial City was more fluid and in the area the ten thousand were kept was greatly accelerated to account for the breeding program that were chosen to complete and the training they received that would help them protect the Earth in this new age. More and more strange events begin to happen. An increase in the number sightings of ghosts and spirits. The oldest of trees move in random ways with no wind. People begin to have more vivid dreams about a coming change. These people have been marked by Fate to be Exalted when the Gods return. Those who are aware of the Supernatural world knew something happened when access to parts of the Umbra suddenly vanished and folded in upon themselves. Entire realms vanished altogether as their purpose was consumed in its place was a wall of obsidian with gates evenly spaced around it that were barred and not even the strongest of magics could not even mark. 100 of mankinds most potent of Arch-Masters were summoned to a gate and they were brought through. It was not for some time until they would be seen again. As the Spirit world began to drop closer to the Earth and the barrier fading rapidly the supernatural elements of the world were unable to cope with the sudden influx of spiritual energy as the dragon nests became more common and harder to conceal. The caul that covered the eyes of Humanity was partially lifted. The delirium of the shifters did not affect them nearly so much. Magic of the Mages was becoming easier to perform. It seemed like the long wars fought over humanity were coming to a sudden end in a way no one thought possible. The Earth seemed to be healing as the Umbra drew closer. More plentiful growing seasons. Rain when it was needed. Storms when it was needed. The rejection of the taint as the sudden changing of the cosmos drew the taint of Malfeas into the dark heart of that new realm. And those Shifters watched over it all. A God that could only be Luna came to them and chose 300 of their greatest warriors and lead them to the city within the Umbra. They were not seen again until the emergence. All the spirit worlds close to Earth were gone replaced by the massive Celestial City of Yu-Shan the home of the returned Gods. The spirit world and Earth were more fully merged. The deeper umbral realms remained intact as the cosmology of the universe had changed too much for its complete loss. Spirits and Gods that came after the first and greatest of the Gods had left became bloated with the power of a cosmos and would not bow easily to those who have just returned. In the darkest of realms of Malfeas and Yomi-Wan had begun to merge into a twisted hell. Long lost souls awakened and they came to realize an ever greater hunger and a desire to claim what they had made. This new dark realm of Malfeas already had agents in the Far East, those who sold their souls for power that with the sudden influx of powerful Essence that even the least of the Akuma became mighty tyrants. Though they lacked the power of the future Exalted that would come to walk the Earth. In the deepest regions of the Underworld things stirred and raged with hate. Ancient oaths long ago sworn forced the Deathlords into different aspects maintaining memories of their prior existence blended with the passing of several ages. Parts of the Tempest calmed while others still raged. But the barrier was too thick for them to send such things onto the Earth and it was harder for them to interact with the world. They search for agents to enact their will on Earth. These servants of Darkness and of those twisted Gods that still inhabited the deepest portions of the Umbra descended upon the Awakening Earth to stamp out the threat of the returning Exalted before they became a serious threat. Humanity was needed and by removing humanity their power was all but ensured to continue for many more ages. They attacked so quickly and aggressively that no one knew what was happening. It was in that moment that the Celestial City revealed to the world their Exalted. But against such tides they could only hold out against so much from the terrors of the Outer Darkness. In Earth's darkest moment a golden light appeared. A large island dominated by a massive mountain formed out of the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It was hundreds of miles tall and covered in the most beautiful and ornate of cities upon it. And from this mountain marched 300 of Earth’s mightiest champions. Bringing light and hope to Humanity they rallied all of the other Exalted and supernatural creatures and crushed the heart of the enemies fighting forces. In a battle that lasted 5 years that saw humanity exposed to the supernatural in such a way. And it forever changed the Earth. Now 50 years from the end of the Awakening War the world has been rebuilt. Manses now power Earth’s cities. Warstrider units and ashigaru armored police help to keep order. The Dragon-Blooded garrisons are in each city and they are there to defend them. People get around in essence powered cars. Gold and silver lane superhighways take people from New York to Los Angeles in 12 Hours. Skyships can do it in under 3. Fleets patrol the oceans to keep watch from those creatures that came from the Outer Darkness fled beneath the waves of the oceans to rebuild and watch the surface rebuild. And in the darkness of the caves these creatures gathered together to hide from Exalted justice. The center of the new earth is the Solar Deliberative of Mount Meru and the host that stays there. Most parts of the world chose not to join the Solar Deliberative of those Russia and China where the largest of those nations. Of the greatest threats on the open ocean are the dreaded Lintha pirates and their floating behemoth-sister that housed their capital city and a home for their fleets. Injured during the war against the Celestial Host and greatly weakened the Lintha remain hidden and only raids against coastal towns all over the world. Once men and akuma who listened to the evil tides that washed upon their shores they were seduced with promises of power and were remade for the coming conflicts. 5 years ago the Earth got a new moon, a great machine that called himself Autochthonia and he found that the people of Russia and China with their industrialism to be worthy allies offered to assist them and hold against the Solar Deliberative. Within the last year the first of the Alchemical Patropoli have been constructed and the first municipal charms are in place. Those God-Factories begin to produce all manner of goods for the people. Russia and China have since dissolved to be replaced by the Eight Nations of Autochthonia. So long as the Great Maker remains in orbit so will the receive his power and blessings. The Solar Deliberative does not control most of the Earth even with the power at their command. Their immediate authority ends at the the edge of their island. Though they are recognized as the saviors of the Earth many still wanted freedom of choice that living under god-kings could not give to them. Though the Solar Exalted continue to defend the Earth even when they are not wanted. Flying trade cities drift over the Earth’s continents and that even the most jaded of Dragon-Blooded Daimyo are forced to recognize how the Solar Exalted help to maintain their technologies. Beyond the floating cities the Solar Exalted unless invited and asked to do so have no power to act on what they see. But in times of great crisis many of the states that exist (excluding the Eight Nations of Autochthonia) call upon the Realm for assistance. Rising in Japan and the United States is an increasing number of Dragon-Blooded bent on their own control and the formation of the Dragon-Blooded Shogunate and an Empire ruled by a royal family though they are linked together with the Imperial family on the islands of Japan and a Shogun’s home in the United States. Though they maintain their own armies they will come to the aid of each other in the most dire of times. The Immaculate Order which praises the spiritual and military enlightenment of the Dragon-Blooded dominates both the Empire and the Shogunate. Their Wyld Hunt is always watching for crimes against the Dragon-Blooded and incursions of the Celestial Exalted into their territories. Outcaste Dragon-Blooded live throughout Europe setting up their own pocket kingdoms. And Europe has become known as the Land of a Hundred Kingdoms. The Dragon-Blooded spread throughout the world are not the only ones to inhabit the Earth. The Solar Deliberative has several legions that guards it shores and works together to show what a unified Exalted Host is capable of achieving. On top of that there are several million regular humans that wanted to escape the pressures of the supernatural world and chose to life in safety of the Realm. Using their Dragon-Blooded agents the Realm has been able to infiltrate other kingdoms to watch them from afar. Others have attempted to do so to the Realm but Celestial charms make infiltration very hard. In South America, Canada and Africa the Lunar Host has taken their shifting cousins to defend the wild areas against the Outer Darkness and the demons of Malfeas that seek entrance into the world. Maintaining close ties with their Solar Mates at the Celestial Mountain they seek to guard the world. With both the Solar and Lunar Exalted making incursions into the lands of the Dragon-Blooded. They have returned many of those places to their former wild glory with humanity living closer to nature than ever before in the Ten Thousand Stream zones. The Sidereal Exalted have divided themselves between factions on which of the newly emerged Exalted could best help the Earth survive against the darkness. The Gold Faction has sided with the Solar and Lunar Exalted and assist them in hunting down the greatest threats to the Earth. The Bronze Faction have decided that the other Celestial Exalted have too much personal power to be trusted with safeguarding the Earth and help to ensure that any Celestial Exalted that arrived to their power in those territories are killed. The Jade Prison is the most classified and hidden place in all of the Earth. Even now the Realm prepares to locate the Jade Prison and take it out freeing those Celestial Essences that have been captured by the authorities of the Dragon-Blooded. Of those supernatural entities that use to dominate the Earth are now scattered with their power bases broken or absorbed entirely by the Exalted Host. The Shifters fell easily inline with the Lunar Exalted and took to their same duties. Those mages who did not agree with the Maidens and the Sidereal were put down, those that sided with them were taken to the Loom of Fate to become agents of destiny. When the 100 Vizers were busy a mage would be sent in their stead to ensure the correction to destiny was completed. Of the Vampires that once dominated the world their power base all but dried up as did their food supply with mortals and Exalted alike able to fend them off now far more easily. The eldest and the canniest vampires survived by fleeing into the Shadowlands and deeper into the Underworld where they were not easily followed. It was here that they met the returned Deathlords and promises of power if they helped to secure any of the Solar Exalted that could be lured into traps and they would be richly rewarded for their efforts. Of important note is the resurgent Wyld and how it spread out along the planet and parallel but not never touching the Outer Darkness. The twisting energies of creation and imagination are stronger now than ever before and the further one gets from Earth the more dangerous the Wyld becomes. When the Outer Darkness and demons attacked the Earth the creatures of the Wyld did not attack they remained back and watched what was happening to the Earth and those that defended it. Only now are the first of the Shaped returning to the Earth to learn about it from the empowered Changelings. - - - - - - This is the age in which the players enter as newly Exalted Celestials are taken to the Celestial City for their training and then returned to Mount Meru to see how they can be of use. The Deliberative as far more different societies and agendas that they seek. A joint venture of various departments to ensure that the world is operating smoothly by dealing with threats and often times undercover since they work in areas not associated with the Solar Deliberative. Having been newly Exalted just returned to the Realm from their training in the Celestial City. The PCs are going to be part of a special task force in charge of routing out the Heresy of the Yozi. Being transported in secret to Philadelphia to investigate the reports that a powerful coven of Akuma are gathering to open a gateway into Malfeas to bring one of the more powerful souls of their dark master on the Earth. They will need to avoid the Dragon-Blooded Wyld Hunts and the other supernatural creatures that call the Earth their home as well. As for character creation it is going to use the errata rules for whichever of the three types are chosen and they are Solar, Lunar and Sidereal Exalted. The game will be starting on the Blessed Isle at the Senate Building of the Solar Deliberative where they will get their orders for the games start. Having completed their training in Yu-Shan together they will already be familiar with each other. There are no known or observed Abyssal or Infernal Exalted (excluding Akuma) on the Earth. Firearms will be replacing Archery. The game is set in the classic World of Darkness Earth but now modified for a modern game. Vampires, Shifters, Mages still exist in the world but their powers are not central to the game and will occasionally pop up as the story requires. They did not vanish just paired off with the Exalted type that fit them best. Solars and the Hunters, the remaining Hunters have become the elite Gunzosha troops. Lunars and the Shifters. Sidereal and the Mages. The Fae and Changelings. Even though they have not yet been seen the Abyssals and the Vampires. And then finally the Infernal Exalted and Akuma of Kindred of the East, Black Spiral Dancers and other “Evil subtypes” have sided with the Yozi.
